32 photos - 20 species


Lotilia klausewitzi

Dancer shrimp goby

 Maximum length: 4 cm

Depth: 1 - 20 m

Black with a white back and forehead and large pectoral fins.

Hovers at the entrance to its burrow, waving its fan-like pectoral fins.

Lives together with a partner shrimp.

Very shy.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Mahidolia mystacina

Flagfin prawn goby, Flagfin shrimpgoby or Smiling goby

 Maximum length: 8 cm

Depth: 6 - 30 m

Variable colouring from yellow, brown to black.

The dorsal fin of the males is elongated.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Nemateleotris magnifica

Fire goby, Magnificent fire fish, Fire dartfish or Red fire goby

 Maximum length: 9 cm

Depth: 6 - 90 metres

They are usually found in pairs in the sea in the current,

a few metres above the bottom where they catch zooplankton.

When danger threatens, they quickly retreat into their burrows in the sandy bottom.

Photos 1 - 3 Johnny: Embudu Maldives


Nes longus

Orangespotted goby

Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 3 - 15 m

Usually lives on sandy bottoms in symbiosis with the Alpheus crayfish,

whereby the crayfish builds long tunnels in the sand.

With the help of its scissors, the crab transports the sand out of the cave,

where the goby lies in the sand at the entrance, signalling to it that there is no danger.

On the whitish body of the goby there are five dark yellowish-brown double spots

on the underside, the head and the back of the body have irregular yellowish-brown spots.

Photos 1 - 2 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean


Oxyurichthys stigmalophius

Spotfin goby

Maximum length: 16.5 cm

Depth: 2 - 60 m

This species lives in the Caribbean with an Alpheus crab,

which digs deep caves in which the goby finds shelter.

The black spot on the rear edge of the dorsal fin gives it its name.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean


Priolepis hipoliti

Rusty goby

 Maximum length: 3 - 4 cm

Depth: 1 - 130 m

Lives first female and then later male ( protogynous hermaphrodite )

Photo 1 Johnny: Bonaire Caribbean 


Ptereleotris evides

Blackfin dartfish or Scissortail goby

Juvenile
Juvenile

 Maximum length: 14 cm

Depth: 2 - 20 m

In groups or pairs on reef slopes.

They hover far above the bottom to catch plankton.

Photos 1 - 3 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Risor ruber

Tusked goby

 Maximum length: 2.5 cm

Depth: 12 - 180 m

Translucent to shapeless grey body, often pink towards the head.

White segments are often visible along the spine.

Photo 1 Astrid: Bonaire Caribbean


Signigobius biocellatus

Twin-spot goby or Crab-eyed goby

 Maximum length: 10 cm

Depth: 6 - 30 metres

Very difficult to photograph as always moving quickly.

2 eye spots serve as camouflage and are intended to represent large fish.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Trimma cana

Candy cane pygmy-goby

 Maximum length: 1.5 - 3 cm

Depth: up to 15 metres

Despite their incredible speed, they often become food for large fish.

Very shy.

Photo 1 Johnny: Moalboal Philippines


Stonogobiops xanthorhinicus

Yellownose prawn-goby

 Maximum length: 6 cm

Depth: 8 - 40 m

Close to the coast, on sandy slopes with little rubble,

always hovering above the burrow, hunting zooplankton.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Stonogobiops nematodes

Filament-finned prawn-goby, Antenna goby, High-fin goby,

Red-banded goby, High-fin red-banded goby, Striped goby,

Barber-pole goby or Black-ray goby

 Maximum length: 6 cm

Depth: 3 - 45 m

Same species as in the previous photo, only with a black ray on the dorsal fin.

Photo 1 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Valenciennea helsdingenii

Twostripe goby, Black-lined sleeper goby or Railway sleeper goby

 Maximum length: 25 cm

Depth: 1 - 45 m

They have an elongated, round body with a large mouth.

They live in shallow water over sandy bottoms,

ingesting sand with their mouths and eating the small organisms living in it

and then expelling the sand again through the gill slits.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi 


Valenciennea puellaris

Orange-spotted sleeper-goby, Orange-dashed goby, Maiden goby or Diamond watchman goby

 Maximum length: 14 cm

Depth: 3 - 25 m

Found on reef slopes and inner reefs near the coast.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi


Valenciennea sexguttata

Chalk goby, Sixspot goby or Sleeper blue dot goby

 Maximum length: 16 cm

Depth: 1 - 10 metres

Black spot in the first dorsal fin, light blue head spots.

Found on fine to muddy sand in bays, lagoons and sheltered outer reefs.

Shy.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Valenciennea sp.

Sleeper goby

 Maximum length: 14 cm

Depth: 2 - 30 m

Valenciennea sp. is often referred to colloquially as the "Madagascar" sleeper goby.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Valenciennea strigata

Blueband goby, Golden-head sleeper goby or Pennant glider

 Maximum length: 18 cm

Depth: 1 - 20 m

White-grey body with yellow head and turquoise head stripe.

It is usually found in clear lagoons and on outer reefs,

on sand and rubble, but also on hard substrate,

hovering a little above the bottom.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi

Photo 2 Johnny: Lembeh Strait North Sulawesi


Vanderhorstia ambanoro

Ambanoro prawn-goby or Twin-spotted shrimp-goby

Maximum length: 12 cm

Depth: 2 - 21 m

At home on fine sand and mud.

White basic colouration with rows of black dots.

Always in symbiosis with grey or brown longitudinally striped crabs,

which dig the burrow into the substrate.

Photo 1 Johnny: Hurghada Egypt


Vanderhorstia nobilis

Majestic shrimpgoby

 Maximum length: 7 cm

Depth: 3 - 18 m

The males show neon blue stripes and dot patterns on the body

and fins and irregular orange-coloured spots on the cheeks.

Females, on the other hand, are much less colourful.

Photo 1 Johnny: Bangka Island North Sulawesi


Yongeichthys criniger

Fringfin goby

 Maximum length: 8 cm

Depth: 3 - 30 m

Dotted body with 3 black spots on both sides of the body and two spots on the back.

Found in pairs on the sand in a self-made burrow.

Photos 1 - 2 Johnny. Bangka Island North Sulawesi